‘We need action’ Gov. Inslee says in annual State of the State address
Gov. Jay Inslee called for action from the legislature when he gave his annual State of the State speech at the Capitol in Olympia Tuesday before an audience kept small due to concerns about transmission of the omicron variant.
“I can encapsulate the state of our state very simply: We need action,” Inslee said during his address.
The governor began by thanking frontline workers, educators and state employees for their work over the past two years. He also took time to thank those who administered emergency services during the “unprecedented weather events.”
Touching on rising COVID-19 cases, Inslee repeated his statements from last week about the state’s attempt to keep Washingtonians safe by providing more access to testing and masking, as well as helping educators through this time.
“If you compare our success to others, we’ve saved more than 17,000 lives,” he said. “These people are all still with us because of what all Washingtonians have contributed to stay safe and healthy.”
Inslee highlighted past legislative accomplishments such as paid family leave and emergency response before he addressed his current priorities: homelessness, poverty, climate change, salmon recovery and transportation.
He said the legislature needs to “take action this day” to strengthen current and future commitments.
“We must take action this day to fight the homelessness crisis; to reverse social and economic disparities; to educate our children and serve those in foster care; to fund our transportation system; and to protect our salmon and orca,” Inslee said. “We must take action, this day, to fight the threat of climate change that is now hitting us hard.”
The governor’s proposal for the homelessness crisis would include $815 million for services such as safe housing for people experiencing homelessness, behavioral health, and increasing the affordable housing supply.
In addressing poverty, he said his budget would create a $125 million reinvestment fund that would address social and economic disparities. He said a Poverty Reduction Workgroup comprised of people who have experienced poverty will inform the state’s decisions.
Inslee talked again about his commitment to keeping schools open, and said his budget will increase students’ access to school counselors, nurses and social workers. The budget includes a $900 million proposal to address “students’ critical needs.”
“This proposal further empowers educators so they can innovate to address what kids have suffered through because of COVID, just as they have done throughout the pandemic,” he said. “Educators, when empowered, can develop solutions to overcome opportunity gaps.”
He discussed his plan, too, for $80 million for foster youth support and providers.
Inslee’s plans for addressing climate change add $626 million to the work the state has already done. He called it a “moral obligation” to tackle climate change by reducing emissions in the state. Some of the proposals include rebates for electric vehicles and incentivizing clean energy projects. He also noted a “path to decarbonize” with the Climate Commitment Act.
He stressed the importance of salmon recovery as well.
“As the future of salmon goes, so goes the future of our state,” he said.
His plans for salmon include restoration of green corridors, which he said will keep the water “clean and cool.” The legislation would include the Lorraine Loomis Act, to conserve critical lands. Loomis was a Swinomish leader in tribal salmon management who died in August, he said.
Additionally, Inslee wants to tackle more transportation issues, noting that more transportation and less pollution is needed at the same time. Because of the one-time federal funds this year, his proposal includes nearly $1 billion for clean transportation, including $324 million to electrify the state’s ferries.
He said that legislation to tackle climate change “must go into effect in concert with our transportation budget.”
Inslee said the state should also invest in financial stability. His proposal includes $2.5 billion to rebuild the Rainy Day and other reserve funds.
The governor took some of the final moments of his speech to discuss election integrity, after the recent one-year anniversary of the insurrection at the nation’s capital.
“It is time we stand up to those who challenge the integrity of our elections, who undermine basic democratic principles and who would do away with the rule of law,” Inslee said.
He called on all legislators to acknowledge the “fair and square” 2020 elections. Again, he discussed his proposed legislation to “outlaw efforts by politicians to knowingly spread lies about elections when those lies result in violence.”
The 60-day session will end on March 10.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 1:09 PM with the headline "‘We need action’ Gov. Inslee says in annual State of the State address."
